The Best All Inclusive Resorts in Riviera Maya (2023)

The swanky, 175 room, Cozumel Palace All Inclusive lies near the center of San Miguel de Cozumel less than a mile from the ferry port. The stretch of beach is small here but the resort has a large pool area with wonderful open sea views. Their food is a highlight, rooms are spacious and comfortable, service is legendary, water based activities are numerous and overall Cozumel Palace offers a very enjoyable vacation. The resort is family friendly but doesn’t have too much specifically for kids – though they do have a small kid’s play area and pool – most guests are seemingly couples on romantic breaks. Accommodation: Rooms are a step above most Riviera Maya all inclusives. They are spacious (minimum 581 sq ft), bright and clean and all come with large spa baths in the bedrooms and some outside space – balcony, patio or terrace – with sea views. Their top of the range is the 829 sq ft Presidential Suite which has two bedrooms, a lounge area and a large outside terrace. Standards are high across the board though and their entry level rooms aren’t that much less impressive. Check out your room options at Expedia here. Standard facilities include mini bars and a drinks bar with four bottles of premium brand spirits, large cable TVs, coffeemakers and marble bathrooms with CHI or L’Occidental bath products, and 24 hour room service. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Turquesa is the main restaurant and the venue for their breakfast buffet while also offering fresh waffles, pancakes and various egg dishes a la carte. It then turns in to a classy Italian venue come evening time. Other venues include Bugambilias Mexican Restaurant, Flamingos which does pizzas and other fast food plus an al fresco dinner buffet, Momo does pan Asian including sushi and Agra does classic Indian. The food in all the above is generally very good. The beach here is quite small but you have two large pools, one is infinity style and the other has a swim up bar. Both have lovely open sea READ MORE

Royal Hideaway Playacar is a 5 Star all inclusive for adults only in Playa del Carmen that is a low key, classy antidote to the many high energy all inclusives of the Riviera Maya. It has 6 gourmet restaurants, all a la carte, 3 bars, 6 pools, a full service spa, fitness center, numerous land and water sports facilities and a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach among its attractions. It can get lively but it’s not a party resort. The upmarket clientele are mainly looking to relax and the atmosphere is laid back friendly. Accommodation: Royal Hideaway Playacar has 201 old colonial style rooms in various semi-identical low rise buildings surrounded by lush foliage. Check out all your options here at Expedia.com.  All are elegant, beautifully furnished and with luxury hotel amenities like cable TV, free minibars, safes, coffeemakers, music stations, air-con. None are supremely spacious though all come with some outside space – a patio or balcony, and have very plush marble bathrooms with spa baths. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food at Royal Hideaway Playacar is very highly rated. It’s a 5 Star hotel with a fairly sophisticated clientele so expectations may be high from the start but few people come away disappointed. There are no buffets here, all is a la carte. The one drawback to this here it seems is that the restaurants are busy and reservations are required for all except one, though you have 24 hour room service and the bars serve food too. Most have quite formal dining areas and three have formal dress codes – Las Ventanas, Azia and Palazzo. Las Ventanas is open for dinner only and has a chef’s table where guests have front row seats at the cooking station and can chat with the chef. There is an extra charge for this and it will need to be booked in advance. Palazzo is another stylish venue serving Italian, again for dinner only. The award winning Azia does Asian fusion – Thai and Japanese mainly. Spices does some great Mexican and in a lovely READ MORE

Valentin Imperial Maya is a 5 Star, adults-only all inclusive in Playa del Carmen’s exclusive Playa del Secreto. A resort we judge to be the best value adults only resort in Playa del Carmen. This beach it sits beside is gorgeous–Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful sand beaches in Mexico. The resort also has, among its attractions, three pools, including one of the largest resort pools in the country, a lazy river, seven restaurants (none of which require reservations), seven bars (with premium alcohol all inclusive) including two swim up bars, a theater and a full service spa and gym. It’s a luxury resort and attracts an upmarket crowd. The atmosphere is one of relaxed contentment, the food and drink are great, and the service levels fantastic. Accommodation: They have 540 suites in various price levels and ranging in size from 516 square feet to 1,032 square feet. Many have lovely ocean views, some look out over the jungle or pools, and some are ground floor swim-up. The main market at Valentin Imperial is couples and so almost all the suites come with a single king-size bed. Some though do have a choice of one king-size, or two doubles to sleep four. All have seating/lounging areas inside and furnished balconies, patios or terraces. The bathrooms are spacious and luxurious looking, and well equipped–all come with large jetted bathtubs and separate showers for example. Some of the top suites also feature whirlpool baths on their private terraces. Overall the furniture and fittings are nice but could in some cases do with updating. We are pleased to report that as of February 2022 the process has already begun. Other hotel perks include satellite smart TV, coffee/tea stations (either filter coffee machines or Nespresso) mini bars, and Valentin Imperial Maya own brand own brand luxury toiletries. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food is excellent at Valentin Imperial Maya. The main buffet venue is Le Marche for breakfast and lunch, with the casual beachfront Mar & Tierra also having buffet selections. There are also a READ MORE

Mia Reef is a fabulous, family friendly 5 Star all inclusive on a private island just off Isla Mujeres. Its location makes it feel rather exclusive and it has an absolutely pristine stretch of private beach. As the islet is small and is surrounded on almost all sides by open water many rooms come with lovely sea views. It’s a friendly, sociable place and, due to the limited size of the islet, can sometimes feel busy, but the atmosphere is somewhat laid back and with just two bars it’s certainly not a place for wild nightlife. Accommodation: They have 164 rooms, suites and villas at Mia Reef. Though not particularly spacious all of them are bright and colorful, and display nice touches of pop-art styling. They range from what they term Basic or Deluxe Double Rooms, through Superior Oceanfront Doubles and Deluxe Ocean View Rooms, and then on to their Beach Front Villas. The Basic Doubles are good value and pretty similar to the Deluxe and Superior Ocean Views internally, but they lack a view of the sea. In Mia Reef this is definitely worth the extra. In a lot of resorts an ocean view can means an ocean view in the distance and a bunch of other stuff in between but here no. For not a lot extra you can have a Superior Ocean View room or, better still – what we see as the best value – the more spacious Deluxe Ocean View rooms (they can sleep up to 4 if required in two double beds), and see almost nothing but sea and sky from your balcony. There are larger, more independent villa type units along the beachfront too. These are more spacious and can sleep up to five in a studio room with two double beds and a sofa bed. They are the most expensive but with them being at ground level the views are of course not too impressive. Facilities in all of the above include AC, digital safes, coffeemakers, well stocked minibars and mini fridges, cable TV and blackout blinds. Bathrooms are surprisingly ordinary for such a top class resort it must be said. Functional READ MORE

Zoëtry Villa Rolandi is a boutique 5 Star all inclusive on Cancun’s Isla Mujeres built in 2015 to compliment one of The Riviera Maya’s most esteemed restaurants: the Swiss Italian Casa Rolandi. It attracts a barefoot chic, upmarket crowd and the atmosphere is quiet and calm – people very much come here to relax and unwind. With only 35 suites it is also remarkably small for an all inclusive resort making it feel even more exclusive still. Among its facilities are three pools, the famous Casa Rolandi restaurant and one other, French Mexican fusion, eatery, a cozy bar, an extensive wine cellar, a made-to-order jewelry center, spa facilities and a fitness center. Zoëtry Villa Rolandi is technically family friendly but really doesn’t seem to have much in the way of children’s activities. The overwhelming majority of guests are adults anyway, and the majority of them couples on romantic breaks. Accommodation: It has 35 suites of various categories, all of them with ocean views. They are broadly similar in all but size, ranging from 450 square feet to over 2000 square feet in the case of their fabulous Presidential Suite, and the vast majority of them are doubles. At the ground floor you have the Junior Suite Veranda Oceanfronts. Just upstairs are the Junior Suite Oceanfronts and, above them again and with better views again, are the Junior Suite Superior Oceanfronts. The latter two have a hot tub on their private terrace. The multi level Presidential Suite then sits at the very top. It has an enormous terrace and extra amenities such as a sauna, an outdoor shower and a bar. Check out your options here at Expedia. The top level suites are of course lovely, as they are in most resorts, at Zoetry Casa Rolandi but remember that minimum standards are very high: All accommodation comes with canopied king size beds, opulent bathrooms with jacuzzis, steam showers and Bvlgari bath products, indoor lounging areas and, in all but the Veranda Suites, private terraces with outdoor hot tubs, satellite TV, 24 hour room service, pillow menus, black out curtains/blinds, free mini bars and coffee makers as standard. Prices: Check out all READ MORE

The Royal Sands is a consistently highly rated, upper mid range all inclusive in the middle of Cancun, Mexico’s Hotel Zone. It is part timeshare, part all inclusive and sees a nice mixture of guests of all ages, with families being possibly in the majority. Facilities include two large swimming pools, a kid’s pool, tennis courts, a fitness center, full-service spa and complimentary bicycles. There is a lot of entertainment for kids, and for adults, but mainly during the day–things tend to wind down relatively early here compared to other Cancun all inclusives. Nightlife is therefore not a major focus at this resort, but there are three fine bars and restaurants on-site, and guests also benefit from discounts at certain restaurants in neighboring partner resorts and at some local restaurants in the city. Accommodation: There are 340 spacious, soundproofed suites to sleep up to six across two bedrooms. Aesthetically they may not have much Wow Factor but are certainly comfortable and clean, spacious and well equipped.. Even the more basic level suites have comfortable king size beds with premium bedding, study desks, seating, balconies with ocean views, 24 hour room service and kitchenettes or full kitchens–something you really don’t see in many all inclusives. Satellite TVs are in every suite as are coffee makers and WiFi. Bathrooms are huge, have both baths and showers, and are supplied with quality toiletries. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have three very good restaurants & bars to choose from, with both buffet and a la carte food, and drink, available every day. All of it is part of your all-inclusive package. Hacienda Sisal is an upscale hacienda style restaurant with traditional decor and some highly rated Mexican cuisine including local fresh seafood. It’s a la carte and a semi formal venue but can be lively and fun, with live mariachi performances in the evenings for example. Then there is La Veranda, the main buffet restaurant which has a whole range of beautifully cooked and presented international food to be sampled. Sand Dollar, overlooking the ocean, has some of READ MORE

Don’t be mislead by the somewhat tacky sounding name, Grand Fiesta American Coral Beach has long been one of Cancun’s most sophisticated luxury resorts. One which has just recently gone all-inclusive. It occupies a prime position in the heart of the city’s hotel district but remains somewhat elegant, refined and surprisingly peaceful. It also has possibly the best stretch of beach and water in the city and all rooms have ocean views. Its enormous Gem Spa is well known in Cancun for its great array of modern facilities including a 10-step hydrotherapy circuit (treatments though are not included in your all inclusive package). Food and drink are excellent, and varied, at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, both buffet and a la carte. It sees an eclectic mix of tourist: families with children, couples of all ages, singles and groups of friends. It is a fun, friendly resort but, relatively speaking, not a place for rowdy nightlife. Accommodation: They have a nice variety of suites here and the accommodation is designed so that all have balconies and ocean views. All are very spacious too, with entry level suites being a generous 560 sq. ft., and have king or queen size beds as standard. There also come with seating, study desks and sofas, as well as table and chairs on the balcony. Bathrooms are a major highlight across the accommodation. They are spacious and elegant and come with double vanity sinks and deep soak bathtubs and, in the Master Suites, whirlpool baths. All have air-conditioning, minibars, coffeemakers, toiletries, TVs with premium channels, and free Wi-Fi. Unlike many all inclusive resorts there isn’t a huge amount of difference here between their entry level and top level accommodation. Not enough reason to splash out more we’d say. If you’re a couple on a special romantic break though you could take a look at their ‘Infinite Ocean Front Honeymoon Master Suite. It’s not the largest suite in the resort, some family suites are larger, but it is the most impressive with a giant private terrace and, as the name suggests, unrivaled views of the ocean and Isla Mujeres. Prices: Check out all the price details READ MORE

Privilege Aluxes is a luxury all inclusive at Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres’ best beach, that receives consistently great reviews, particularly for its staff. It is a small and intimate resort, and can be seen something of an antidote to the many larger, busier all inclusives in Cancun. It has three restaurants and three bars, one a swim-up bar in the main pool, a large, full-service beach club on Playa Norte and a spa and gym. It is adults only, couples mainly, and a solid choice for our list of the best adults only all inclusives in Cancun. Accommodation: They have 124 contemporary rooms and suites at Privilege Aluxes, from entry level double rooms to premium suites with jacuzzis on the terrace and ocean views. Standard features include king size beds, minibars well stocked with complimentary liquor, 40 inch smart TVs, blackout curtains, AC, 24 hour room service, coffee & tea makers, bathtubs and luxury bathroom niceties like bath salts and vanity kits. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have a choice of three food places at Privilege Aluxes: Sabor, their main international buffet restaurant (which also does a la carte lunches), the Beach Club restaurant, a pool snack bar and then the Satay restaurant for Thai & Oriental cuisine, the latter requesting reservations. The food is good overall though some guests have been disappointed by the buffet. Their a la carte is almost always highly rated though. There are different themed dinner buffets each night at Sabor and, every few days, Mexican barbecue nights down on the beach. All food is included in the all inclusive except for the odd premium item, such as lobster, which will be listed on the menu as such. All drink, except some premium wines, is also all inclusive. The two main drinking spots are the pool swim up bar, which is open until 8pm, and the Beach Club, open until 11. Privilege Aluxes is not a place for nightlife but guests often start their evening here then take the very short walk to Isla Mujers’ bar district for a lively READ MORE

Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is a lively upper range all inclusive, part of a giant four resort complex in Akumal, near Tulum, Mexico. It has two pools, a spa, fitness center, twelve restaurants & bars, a PADI diving center, a stunning stretch of white sand beach and, just off-site, access to an 18 hole golf course and a casino. It is child friendly, and can be enjoyable for families – they have a great kid’s club for example, though the crowd seems to be more youngish adults. Its prices are reasonable too and Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is to our mind one of the best value all inclusives in the Riviera Maya. Accommodation: Grand Bahia Principe Tulum has nearly a thousand rooms and suites in total and so you’ll have choice. Space is plentiful, even the most basic rooms are a minimum 330 sq. ft. and all have a seating area with at least a study desk and some chairs. They all come with some outside space too, usually a furnished balcony, and though they are in general un-excitingly decorated, they are well furnished, comfortable and clean. Amenities include minibar, satellite TV, coffeemakers and ice buckets, and the suites come with hydromassage tubs and sofas. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is at the very heart of the enormous four resort, Bahia Principe All Inclusive complex and feels younger and livelier than the other three. It has a spa, a scuba diving center, thirteen restaurants, six bars, and two swimming pools among its facilities and has the widest stretch of beach among the four resorts. The resort’s main restaurant is The Yucatan which serves huge buffets of international cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then there is Burger Andrade which serves up burgers, salads etc. and The Food Truck – great Mexican street food with more than a touch of haute cuisine. There are ten relatively formal a la carte restaurants offering a huge range of world cuisines – including Japan, Italian, Peruvian, Indian and Mexican. The food is excellent in all READ MORE

Certainly one of the classiest all inclusives in Cancun, and indeed in Mexico, Excellence Playa Mujeres is an adults only, luxury resort in a secluded location just north of the city with its own private marina. It has 450 rooms and suites, seven pools, ten restaurants, eleven bars, top of the range spa facilities, sporting activities, daily and nightly entertainment, and even a theater. It attracts an upmarket crowd, majority of them couples, of all ages. It can be lively and fun but the relatively sophisticated crowd means it never gets too rowdy. Accommodation: They have a total of 450 suites at Excellence Playa Mujeres, all of which, even the entry level Junior Suites, are spacious and beautifully appointed, and all of which come with 24 hour room service. All too have furnished outside space–balconies or terraces on the upper floors and patios at ground level. Swim Up Suites are also available. Their top suites are the two story, Rooftop Terrace Suites with Ocean View. They have private plunge pools and the best views in the resort. Other identical Rooftop Terrace Suites are also available but with views over the gardens or the pools. Overall every suite at Excellence has a veritable touch of class with standard features such as king-size beds, large satellite TVs, iPod docks, comfortable seating areas, generous complimentary mini bar with premium liquors, and coffee and tea stations. The marble bathrooms come with double vanities, both rainfall showers and bathtubs, and luxury toiletries. Above the level of Junior Suite, whirlpool baths are also present. Prices: Check out all the price details at Hotels.com here or at Expedia.com here. You will note on the booking page that some suites have the appendage ‘Excellence Club’. Guests who reserve these receive extra perks such as a private concierge desk, access to a private lounge with buffet and bar service, and two private heated pools and whirlpools. And finally they also receive extra-premium drinks in the mini-bar and luxury Bulgari toiletries in the bathroom.  (Our take is that unless you’re planning a very special trip, and/or you want to really spoil a special someone, you might find the Excellence Club READ MORE

Palmaïa, The House of AïA, is a very highly rated wellness retreat in a private corner of Playacar Beach, Playa del Carmen. It only opened its doors in late 2019 but, despite this woefully unlucky timing, it has quickly created a buzz on the Riviera Maya and beyond. Eco-friendly vegan wellness might seem a tricky thing for an all inclusive resort to pull off, and vice versa, but Palmaïa, The House of AïA has married the two to great effect. It offers ‘holistic activities and healing experiences based on ancestral rituals and practices, promoting balance and reconnection between oneself and Nature,‘ something they summarize as ‘Progressive Wellness.’ Palmaïa has 314 guest rooms, so neither too big nor too small, four restaurants, a food truck, a beach bar (on its fully private beach), four outdoor pools, a wonderful jungle spa and a 24-hour fitness center. Holistic activities are a huge focus here and the whole experience can be quite magical. More conventional resort activities  are also available (and guests can also use the facilities of the larger Sandos Playacar Resort next door). The food here is exceptional, and mainly, though not entirely, vegan. It has undoubtedly among the best vegan food on the Riviera Maya, and remember again that it’s an all inclusive. Palmaïa attracts a well heeled, hippie chic crowd–more Tulum than Cancun–and a mix of couples, families, groups of friends and single people. You’ll find much higher proportion of the latter here than in most resorts in Riviera Maya, and a higher proportion of younger people in general. Those with a sensitive stomach for Bobo pretentiousness though should be warned that private butlers are referred to as ‘Nomadic Guides’, and that’s just one example! Accommodation: Accommodation is in the form of luxury suites, spread across four fairly conventional looking, five-story buildings, to sleep from one adult to a maximum of two adults and three kids. These include on the swim up suites at ground level (obviously!), and some stunning ocean view master suites on the top floor. All suites are spacious, stylish and well appointed, Palmaïa is a luxury resort after all. Standards include King or Queen size beds, READ MORE

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa is a luxury all inclusive on a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach just north of Tulum and 90 minutes from Cancun Airport. Built in a semi-colonial style and with beautifully designed and landscaped grounds, it has much of the look and feel of an old hacienda property, making it a little more charming than most modern style all inclusives. It sees a generally well-heeled but eclectic crowd: families with children, couples, groups of friends etc. And all ages mix happily here. It has two pools, six restaurants, five bars, a holistic spa and a kid’s club among its facilities. Accommodation: Dreams has 432 rooms & suites, to sleep up to seven guests in total, with one section being for adults only. All are spacious, well appointed and comfortable though the odd bit of wear and tear can sometimes be found. The accommodation ranges from swim out rooms and deluxe suites to large family rooms and a stunning 1948 square feet, hacienda style Presidential Suite. They all have either a balcony or a patio and you’ll have a choice of garden or ocean view, with the ocean view being naturally the more expensive. In-room amenities across the board include generously stocked minibars, satellite TVs, coffee makers, study desks and seating. All bathrooms have both showers and baths with some having whirlpool tubs, and luxury toiletries. Prices: Check out all the details and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have a choice of six main buffet and a la carte restaurants at Dreams Tulum, with international staples and cuisine from Mexico, Japan, Italy, France, and a US style steakhouse. Then there is the Poolside Bar, the Barefoot Grille and the Sky Sports Bar where, as well as alcohol, you can order pizzas, burgers and the like in a more casual atmosphere. Other bars include a swim up bar, the Sugar Reef Beach Bar, The Rendezvous Bar, a non alcoholic smoothie bar and a cafe. The choice of drinks and the cocktails here are generally very good though some guests have found the food to be inconsistent READ MORE

It’s not cheap by any means but the decidedly swanky Le Blanc Spa Resort is to our minds the finest adults only all inclusive in Cancun. It’s a gorgeously chic property with opulent spa facilities, fabulous bars and restaurants (all but one of which don’t require reservations), and levels of service and pampering unmatched by almost any other resort in Cancun. Accommodation: Their rooms and suites are bright, spacious and very well appointed, and generally come with views of the lagoon or the ocean. Only some have proper furnished balconies though, most are just small Juliet-style, which is definitely a negative, though in fairness probably the only one. The one bedroom units will either have a king bed or two double beds to sleep up to four. Then there are larger two room units with two king beds. The largest and most opulent at Le Blanc is the Two Bedroom Presidential Suite, a gorgeous, and enormous space with a whirlpool on its large balcony amongst other impressive features. Standard features of all the rooms include satellite TVs with Netflix, iTunes, Apple TV  etc. generously stocked minibars, premium liquor dispensers (Johnnie Walker Black, Absolut Vodka, Bacardi etc.), wine, Lavazza coffee-makers, aromatherapy & pillow menus, and 24 hour room service. Their opulent marble bathrooms are as nice as you might expect and come with TVs, showers, bathtubs, Bulgari toiletries and your personal butler can prepare a bath for you with customized bath salts and rose petals. Some suites have whirlpool baths too, either in the bathroom or in the main room by the window. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food and drink at Le Blanc Resort Cancun win consistently great reviews, quite a feat for an all inclusive, and all fine dining and premium drinks are included in the all inclusive package. Blanc is the main buffet venue and has tremendous spreads during the day. It also serves Mexican and steakhouse a la carte in the evenings Some excellent Italian and Asian a la carte cuisine is also available in two other chic venues, and all READ MORE